Shadows and Light

Was it really only 18 Strings and 30 fingers? Somehow it seemed to be so much more when Glenn Lévesque, Marc Morin and Sébastien Dufour, The Montreal Guitar Trio played the Evergreen Theatre August 17th.

(view gallery) This galvanic trio of vituosos from Quebec, described by the CBC as “the hottest guitar ensemble in Canada” took the theatre by storm with their “Around the World in 18 Strings” performance. Their piece “Psycho” (yes, just like the movie!) was at once discordant, seat-gripping, nail-biting, face-hiding music, the stuff of which the best horror films are made.

Next in this journey we were transported to Japan where the music spun a tale of “Hoichi”, a blind musician and his experiences with a Samurai ghost. This convergence of Eastern and Western music was a story of depth and sadness lightened by surprising bright interludes.

“Agua e Vinho” (Water and Wine) is an elegant piece of lighter tones and gentle meanderings whose darker notes lend depth and add interest while Marc Morin’s delightful arrangement of the “Barber of Seville Overture” was a joyfully unlikely melding of Italian Opera and Klesmer styles that became a flight of fantasy that invoked fond memories of Bugs Bunny (you had to be there…).

This outstanding performance whisked us then from Rio and Buenos Aires by way of Quebec to Brittany and on to India, through an evening of skillfully arranged blending of musical styles and cultures that deserved the standing ovation it received from the audience on that warm summer night. Thank you so much for a wonderful evening, Marc, Sébastien and Glenn. We hope you will come back to the Evergreen soon.

The photo gallery of this performance is now online and can be viewed on the Evergreen Theatre 2007 page.Direct link to MG3 gallery.

Ellie